Hydraulic anchor expander



1952 F. c. WOOLEY 3,056,477

HYDRAULIC ANCHOR EXPANDER Filed May 9, 1960 3,056,477 Patented Oct. 2,1962 3,056,477 HYDRAULIC ANCHOR EXPANDER Francis C. Wooley, 10115 HerbRoad, Windsor, Calif. Filed May 9, 1960, Ser. No. 27 ,945 6 Claims. (Cl.189-92) This invention relates generally to ground anchors for guy wiresfor public utility poles and the like and more particularly to the typeof ground anchor which in a collapsed state is secured on the end of ananchor rod and inserted to the bottom of a ground hole where the anchoris expanded to a diameter somewhat larger than the hole. The other endof the anchor rod extends above ground out of the hole and is formedwith an eye for the attachment thereto of a pole guying wire.

Specifically this invention relates to the combination of such anexpanding anchor and an improved means for expanding the anchor into thecompact earth around the hole without shattering the earth structure andthereby reducing its holding strength.

It should be understood that a ground anchor set into the earth willhave a holding ability approximately equal to the weight of earth whichis disturbed in the direction of the pull on the guy wire when theanchor first begins to yield. It is evident then that the success of theanchor depends on locking the anchor into ground which has been wellcompacted and which is disturbed as little as possible by the operationof setting the anchor. In pulling a well set anchor out of the earth theshearing cone of earth expanding upwardly from the anchor may have atotal spread of 90 degrees, but if the earth is greatly disturbed as theanchor is set or if the earth is loosely packed the anchor may havelittle holding power.

For this reason the common practice of pushing a pipe down over theanchor rod in the hole and driving the pipe against the anchor to expandthe anchor blades over its conical base plate results in an insecuresetting of the anchor.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an expandableanchor for a guy wire for a public utility pole or the like, togetherwith means for expanding such an anchor into a hole in ground providedtherefor in such a way that no ground disturbing discrete blows areexerted on the anchor during the expanding process.

It is a second object to provide a convenient means by the use of whichone man can expand an expandable anchor at a position in the groundremote from the ground surface without exerting any hammer blows orunbalanced external forces on the anchor.

An explanation of how these and other objects are attained is made inthe following description referring to the attached drawing in whichFIG. 1 shows a typical vertical section of an unexpanded anchor with itsattached anchor rod set in a ground hole at a usual angle to the groundsurface, together with the means of this invention removably united withthe anchor and rod for expanding the anchor from a remote above groundposition.

FIG. 2 is a top view in perspective of an expanded anchor together witha fragmentary anchor rod secured thereto.

FIG. 3 is side View in partial section of an expanded anchor togetherwith a fragmentary showing of an anchor rod and the anchor end of theexpanding means of this invention.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts in the several figures ofthe drawing.

Referring now to the drawing the particular expanding anchor 11 shownhere as typically susceptible to benefit in the present combination ofanchor and expanding means is per se no part of the present inventionbut is an improved product of the A. B. Chance Company of Centralia,Missouri, and known by them as their 8-way expanding anchor.

The anchor 10 comprises an 8 bladed top plate 16 and a separate somewhatconically downwardly expanding base plate 11 with an axial center hole12 formed through the truncated top face thereof to pass the anchor rod13 which is threadedly secured in anchor rod nut 14 angularly positionedin nut retainer 15 secured to the underside of base plate 11.

The 8 blade one piece top plate 16 of anchor 10 is understood to be slitat 8 radial positions between holes 17 and notches 18 to form from anoriginally square plate 8 separately foldable which are first folded asshown in FIG. 1 with the ends of the 4 corner blades 19 bent downwardlyto contact the base plate 11 and then the four intermediate blades 2%bent downwardly each to overlap at its two side edges its two adjacentcorner blades 19. Clearance hole 12a is formed centrally through topplate 16 to pass rod 13.

During shipment and storage the base plate 11 with nut retainer 15 andfolded top plate 16 as shown in FIG. 1 form the complete two pieceanchor and are held together by soft wire through holes, not shown, inbase plate 11 and the ends of blades 19 of plate 16.

At the point of use the threaded end of rod 13 is inserted as shown inFIG. 1 through hole 12a in top plate 16 and hole 12 in base plate 1 1and screwed through nut 14, non-rotatably held in nut retainer 15. Ahole 21 with side walls 22 is sunk into the earth 23 at a desired angle24 to the ground surface 25.

Before the anchor 11 assembled with its rod 13 and nut 14 is placed inhole 21, the pressure reaction tube 26 is slid onto rod 13 over its eyeend 27. A pair of longitudinally and diametrically split headed bushings28, 29 are used at the ends of tube 26 uniformly to space tube 26 aboutrod 13 as shown. Then the anchor 10 with its rod and nut 13, 14 isplaced in hole 21 with bushing 29 in the lower end of tube 26 restingagainst the center fiat surface of top plate 16 of anchor 10 as shown. Aremovable key 30 placed loosely through a common hole formed on bothhalves of bushing 29 and mating holes in tube 26 holds bushing 29 inassembly with tube 26 until the anchor 10 is expanded and it is desiredto recover the expander parts 26, 28, 29 and 30.

The motive power for expanding blades 19, 20 of top plate 16 of anchor10 is provided with a manually operated oil pump 31 connected byflexible pressure hose 32 to a hydraulic cylinder 33.

Pump 31 comprises an oil storage barrel 34 within which is a singleaction oil pump, not shown, having a piston rod 35 operable by handle 36hingedly supported at 37 on barrel 34 having supporting legs 38. Contactwith barrel 34 of handle stops 39 and 40 respectively limit the upwardand downward travel of handle 36 and piston rod 35. A hand valve 41 isprovided to bleed oil under pressure from cylinder 33 back to storagebarrel 34 through hose 32.

Hydraulic cylinder 33 is formed with a closed end 42 into whichextension rods of diiferent lengths like rod 43 may be threadedlysecured. Closing the other end of cylinder 33 is cylinder head 44removably secured thereover and through which piston rod 45 is slidinglysealed. A piston, not shown, of larger diameter than piston rod 45, isslidingly sealed to the interior cylindrical surface of cylinder 33 andsecured to the inner end of rod 45 to move therewith. Around piston rod45 between rod 45 and the interior wall of cylinder 33 is a piston rodretracting compression spring, not shown, longitudinally confinedbetween the piston end of rod 45 and cylinder head .4. The entrance intocylinder 33 of oil conduit 46 from hose 32 is between the piston of rod45 and the closed end of cylinder 33.

In operation, it is seen that oscillation of pump handle 36 will pumpoil from barrel 34 of pump 31 through hose 32 into cylinder 33 to movepiston rod outwardly against the bias of its retracting spring toposition the outer end of piston rod 45 as desired after which handvalve 41 of pump 31 can be opened to allow the retracting spring ofpiston rod 45 to return the piston of rod 45 to its retracted positionand move the oil in the system back to barrel 34. Closing valve 41 thenconditions the hydraulic system for further use.

Having the hydraulic motive power system as above described and theanchor to be expanded positioned in the hole as above described, thenthe means for harnessing the motive power means to the anchor to beexpanded is seen to include in addition to the parts 26, 28, 29 and 39the bifurcated pressure feet 47 and 48 and a key 49 for adjustablypositioning pressure foot 48 along rod 43 as required.

Pressure foot 47 is formed with an internally threaded end to bethreadedly secured to the outer end of piston 45 and a bifurcated endfor straddling a rod running parallel to rod 45 as shown.

Pressure foot 48 is formed with a bifurcated end radially similar to thebifurcated end of foot 47 and another end formed with a through hole forreceiving extension rod 43 of cylinder 33 in axial alignment.

To assemble the motive power cylinder 33 into expanding relation tobushing 28 on tube 26 and to anchor rod 13, cylinder 33 is supported onanchor rod 13 by the bifurcated ends of pressure feet 47 and 48 and thenmoved towards the eye 27 of rod 13 and held there while foot 48 is movedagainst bushing 28. Then foot 48 is moved just far enough from bushing28 so that key 49 can be pushed through its hole in foot 48 and thefirst matching hole in rod 43.

With the anchor expanding equipment thus assembled handle 36 of pump 31is actuated to expand the distance between pressure feet 47 and 48 andthus reduce the axial distance between anchor base plate 11 and topplate 16 to zero at which time (see FIG. 3) lugs 50 formed downwardlyfrom the underside of blades 19 and of top plate 16 will have latchedover the outer edge of base plate 11.

With the anchor expanded into place as desired the driving cylinderpressure is released by opening return valve 41 and cylinder 33 withfeet 47, 48 is lifted away from anchor rod 13. Then split bushing 28 isremoved from tube 26 and tube 26 around rod 13 is drawn out of the hole21 until its end with split bushing 29 is available at which time key 3%is Withdrawn to permit the withdrawal of bushing 2% from tube 26 andtube 26 is finally withdrawn over the outer end of rod 13.

One man can usually use the tools and set the anchor in not over tenminutes.

To be specific it should again be noted that expanding anchors andhydraulic pumps are old and no part of this 1nvention.

However it is believed that mine is the original conception of the needfor power means for expanding such anchors and the means for harnessingsuch power means to expanding anchors in usable form.

Having recited some of the objects of my invention, illustrated anddescribed a preferred form in which my invention may be practiced andexplained its operation, I claim:

1. A hydraulic anchor expander for longitudinally collapsing and therebylaterally expanding an appropriate anchor longitudinally slidablysupported on an appropriate anchor rod including at its respective endsabutments for limiting the off ends movement of said anchor, saidexpander including a hollow strut assembled coaxially on said rod toextend from said anchor towards 4 the remote end thereof, hydraulicpower receiving means for smoothly and continuously longitudinallycollapsing said anchor along said rod and hydraulic power supplyingmeans for gradually activating said power receiving means.

2. The anchor expander of claim 1 in which said power receiving meansincludes a hydraulic cylinder including a piston and piston rod axiallyparallel with said anchor, a hollow strut coaxial with said anchor rodextending from said anchor upwardly around said rod, a first pressurefoot secured to said cylinder to extend perpendicularly therefrom tostraddle said anchor rod and longitudinally to abut said strut, a secondpressure foot secured to said piston rod outside said cylinder to extendperpendicularly therefrom to straddle said anchor rod and longitudinallyto abut said anchor rod at its Wire attachment end, said power supplyingmeans including a source of hydraulic oil, a hydraulic oil pump, aninlet to said pump from said source, means connecting the outlet fromsaid pump to one side of said piston in said cylinder and means foroperating said pump to move oil under pressure from said source to theinterior of said cylinder to move said piston rod to separate saidpressure feet to expand said anchor.

3. An expander for an anchor having an anchor rod, an abutment at oneend of said rod, a stationary part for said anchor secured on said rodat the other end thereof, and a longitudinally collapsible laterallyexpandable part for said anchor surrounding said anchor rod in contactwith said stationary part and longitudinally spaced from said abutment,said expander including a strut coaxial with said anchor rod with oneend in abutment relation with said collapsible part of said anchor, afirst pressure foot positioned around said anchor rod in contact withsaid abutment at said one end of said anchor rod, a second pressure footpositioned around said anchor rod in contact abutment with the other endof said strut spaced from said first pressure foot together withpressure means for applying opposed spreading forces to said pressurefeet parallel to said rod for collapsing along said anchor rod over saidsta tionary part said longitudinally collapsible laterally expandablepart of said anchor, said strut including a pair of longitudinally splitheaded bushings inserted respectively into the ends of said pipe to formpressure abutment ends of said strut.

4. The expander of claim 3 in which both halves of one bushing of saidpair and its mating end of said pipe are formed with a common holetherethrough and said expander includes a key removably positioned insaid hole whereby said one bushing will be engaged with said pipe tomove therewith when said pipe is moved longitudinally of said anchorrod.

5. A hydraulically operable expander for a ground anchor having astationary part, an expandable part and an anchor rod, said stationarypart being secured to one end of said anchor rod, the other end of saidrod including an abutment larger than the diameter of said rod, saidexpandable part of said anchor coaxially surrounding said anchor rod incontact with said stationary part and said expander being required tocollapse said expandable part axially onto said stationary part toexpand said expandable part perpendicularly to said rod, said expanderincluding a hydraulic oil pump, a hydraulic oil cylinder having a pistonrod extending axially therefrom, a first pressure foot secured to saidcylinder to extend laterally therefrom to straddle said anchor rod, asecond pressure foot secured to said piston rod to extend laterallytherefrom to straddle said anchor rod, a strut extending along saidanchor rod from said expandable part of said anchor to one of saidpressure feet, the other of said pressure feet being stopped by saidabutment at said other end of said anchor rod, a source of hydraulicoil, a first oil conduit means connecting said source with the oil inletof said pump, a second oil conduit means connecting the outlet from saidpump to the interior of said cylinder and means for operating said pumpto pump oil from said source to the interior of said cylinder to forcesaid piston rod with said second pressure foot axially away from saidfirst pressure foot longitudinally to collapse said expandable part ofsaid anchor to expand said expandable part of said anchor normally tothe axis of said rod, said hydraulic oil cylinder including acylindrical hollow body closed at one end and open at the other end toreceive a piston slidingly sealed to the interior wall of said body, acylinder head with a coaxial hole therethrough removably closing theopen end of said body, said piston rod being axially secured to saidpiston at one end and slidingly sealed in said hole in said cylinderhead to move therethrough as said piston is moved axially along theinterior of said body, said second pressure foot being secured to saidpiston rod at its outer end, said hollow body including coaxial strutmeans to which said first pressure foot is longitudinally variablypositionable to vary the maximum axial distance said pressure feet maybe moved one from the other by moving said piston, said hollow bodyincluding an oil inlet hole through a wall thereof between its closedend and said piston and resilient means on the other side of said pistonbiasing said piston towards said closed end of said body.

6. An expander for use in collapsing an anchor axially along an anchorrod extending axially through said anchor, said anchor being of the socalled expanding type which expands laterally into its anchored positionwhen it is collapsed axially, said anchor rod including respectiveabutments positioned at each of its ends, one side of said anchorabutting one of said abutments at one end of said rod, the other end ofsaid rod and the other of said abutments being remote from said anchoron its other side, said expander comprising a pair of telescoping meansaxially parallel to and laterally spaced from said anchor rod, a pair ofpressure feet longitudinally spaced and secured one each to said pair oftelescoping means to extend laterally therefrom to straddle said anchorrod, strut means surrounding said anchor rod coaxially therewithextending from said other side of said anchor to one of said pressurefeet, the other one of said pressure feet being in contact with theother of said abutments at the other end of said anchor rod, togetherwith power means operable to extend said telescoping means one along theother gradually to extend said pressure feet axially further one fromthe other to push said strut axially along said rod to collapse saidanchor longitudinally of said rod and expand said anchor perpendicularlyto said rod, said strut means including a pipe placed coaxially oversaid anchor rod, said pipe including a pair of longitudinally splitheaded bushings inserted respectively into the ends of said pipe to formpressure abutment ends for said pipe and hold said pipe concentric withsaid anchor rod, said pipe being large enough in internal diameter toslip over said abutment on said end of said rod remote from said anchorand one end of :said pipe with its mating bushing parts includingreleasable means for holding said split bushing in said pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,948,856 Heinrich Feb. 27, 1934 2,209,627 Miller July 30, 19402,483,239 Sharpe Sept. 27, 1949 2,669,972 Cross Feb. 23, 1954 2,681,789Nichols June 22, 1954

